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🗼 Top 10 Abandoned Places to Explore in Paris and Île-de-France (2025)
Between forgotten castles, abandoned schools, and military bunkers,
the Île-de-France region hides some of the most fascinating urban exploration sites in Europe.
Some are still accessible, others are being slowly reclaimed by nature.
Here’s our selection of the 10 best urbex spots to explore around Paris in 2025 —
safe, photogenic, and full of stories from another era.
1️⃣ Château de la Solitude – Meudon (Hauts-de-Seine)
Overlooking the Seine River, the Château de la Solitude is one of the most iconic urbex locations in Paris.
Built in the 19th century, it still attracts hundreds of photographers every year.
Its cracked façade and melancholic atmosphere make it an unmissable stop for explorers.
🔗 Related: Top 10 Abandoned Places in the World in 2025
2️⃣ Château Ange – Île-de-France
This gothic mansion known as “Château Ange” is a legend among urban explorers.
Its central staircase, broken stained-glass windows, and endless dark corridors
feel straight out of a horror movie.
Abandoned for decades, it perfectly embodies the beauty of decay.
3️⃣ The Abandoned School of Nanterre – Hauts-de-Seine
This former primary school, abandoned since the early 2000s, seems frozen in time.
Classrooms are covered in dust, chalkboards still filled with lessons, and books left open.
A nostalgic and emotional site — perfect for lovers of urban melancholy.
🎧 Also read: Is Urban Exploration Dangerous?
4️⃣ The Slaughterhouse of Nausea – Val-de-Marne
Nicknamed for its lingering smell, this abandoned slaughterhouse has become a monument to street art.
The walls are covered with graffiti, rusted rails and metal hooks remain in place.
It’s a raw, industrial site — best suited for experienced explorers.
5️⃣ Joachim Kroll Manor – Seine-et-Marne
This manor hidden deep in the woods got its name from a German explorer who rediscovered it in the early 2000s.
Its grand architecture, crumbling salons, and antique furniture
make it look like the owners vanished overnight.
A haunting yet mesmerizing time capsule.
6️⃣ Fort de Vaujours – Seine-Saint-Denis
A former French military site used by the Atomic Energy Commission (CEA),
Fort de Vaujours has long been shrouded in controversy.
Its underground tunnels, bunkers, and radioactive zones
make it one of the most mythical and forbidden urbex sites near Paris.
⚠️ Access strictly prohibited for safety reasons — do not enter without authorization.
7️⃣ The Mausoleum – Paris
This massive underground art bunker is a hidden cathedral of concrete beneath the city.
Artists have painted hundreds of murals here, transforming it into an illegal art gallery.
A unique spot in France blending graffiti, urbex, and underground heritage.
🔗 Read next: How to Start Urban Exploration Safely
8️⃣ The Catacombs of Paris – 14th District
Beneath the streets of Paris lies a labyrinth of 300 km of tunnels, remnants of ancient quarries.
While a small part is open to the public, most of it remains forbidden.
Cataphiles secretly explore these areas — a true underground sanctuary of the capital.
⚠️ Many galleries are illegal to access. Always prefer official visits.
9️⃣ The Petite Ceinture Railway – Paris
Built in the 19th century to connect Parisian train stations,
the Petite Ceinture still winds around the capital for nearly 30 km.
Closed to trains since the 1990s, parts of it are open to the public,
while others remain wild and completely abandoned.
Graffiti-covered tunnels, overgrown rails, and ghost stations
make it a cult urbex location in Paris, where nature reclaims the city.
🔗 Read also: Map of Abandoned Places Near You in 2025
🔟 The Abandoned Cold Storage Station of Bercy – Paris 12th
Hidden behind modern buildings in Bercy lies a forgotten relic:
the old refrigerated freight station, once used to store and ship food products.
Its vast metal hangars, rusted tracks, and deserted loading docks
make it a perfect playground for urban explorers.
Partly sealed off today, the station remains visible from nearby abandoned tracks —
a rare industrial urbex spot in the heart of Paris.
📸 Bonus: Explore All of France with MapUrbex
Paris is only the beginning.
From abandoned Loire castles to derelict factories in the North,
France is full of incredible sites waiting to be explored.
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and explore hundreds of verified, updated spots every week.
🚀 Conclusion
From forbidden forts to mysterious manors,
the Île-de-France region is home to some of Europe’s most fascinating urbex sites.
Each location tells a hidden part of Paris’s story —
one that time and nature are slowly erasing.
Before they disappear forever,
create your MapUrbex account and uncover the secret side of Paris!
🎁 Create an account and get your free map
📸 Photo Credits:
- Florent Dubois
- Benoît Grossin
- Obsidian Urbex
- Japon Secret / Jordy Meow
- Artvill
